Doing
2.12 ICT Integration in African Countries
An investigation of teacher training in lCT in African countries at both in-service and pre-service levels, with respect to the development of African teachers, reflected that the focus is on the developing teachers' theme-based capabilities, (lCT integration) or contextual lCT skills (Watt & Ashcroft, 2005). The preference here is for lCT skills which need to be integrated into teaching practices. The fmdings of different studies such as Lee (2003) indicate that most African countries have identified the requirements to start with; and have outlined developing teachers' basic lCT literacy as a priority for lCT integration into the classroom.
The other question that needs attention is whether the focus should fall on capacity building in pre-service or in-service teachers. Although the preference in Watt &
Ashcroft's (2005) case is to train both pre-service and in-service teachers, an obstacle exists regarding the available lCT resources; where the suggestion is in favour of training pre-service teachers whose desire for change is greater than that of in-service teachers (old dogs don't like new tricks). According to Fong (2009) the current lCT gap in African pre-service teacher training and the need to transform the current teacher training colleges is an essential issue to consider before we can even think of possible pre-service lCT teacher training. In most African Teacher Training Colleges, the lack of infrastructure and the lack of lCT trained teacher educators serves as a contributing factor to transformation.
The importance of matching the mode of delivery and the type of training to the audience in order to ensure cost effectiveness and successful integration after training should be considered a priority in the lCT integration process (Fong, 2009). Fong's perception is that it would be a waste of money if teachers are provided with lCT skills which require a complex lCT infrastructure yet the tools at their disposal are so basic that they cannot put what they have learnt into practice.
Bridges.org (2002) asserts that as a way of balancing grassroots perceptions against the considerations and priorities of national government towards lCT integration into South
African schools, the importance of sufficient access to lCT has been considered a priority in the lCT integration process. The assumption is that, if teachers are able to truly realise the potential transformative beliefs of lCT integration in education, then lCT integration will be possible and also that cultural language and cultural relevance are contributing factors in lCT integration.
According to Wilson-Strydom and Thomson (2005) most of the courses which are held to teach African teachers lCT skills are conducted through of face-to-face instruction, and are designed to teach basic lCT skills. They are not linked with pedagogy. The fmdings outlined by Wilson-Strydom and Thomson (2005) indicate that few of the African teacher training colleges offer pre-service lCT training. All higher education institutions seem to be in the process of integrating lCT into their education systems, and South Africa is not an exception.
2.12.1 The Integration of leT in African Higher Education Institutions
Brown, Thomas, Van der Merwe and Van Dyk (2007) declare that African higher education institutions are at the point where they are striving to improve their Information and Communication Technologies (lCTs) infrastructure, content and skill; making resources available to meet the growing needs of students and faculty; and responding to the pressure for effectiveness. He also outlines that institutions are confronted with the dilemma of turning ongoing lCT initiatives into opportunities, and understanding what lCTs mean to the transformation of higher education in general, and to research and learning.
2.12.2leT Integration in South Africa
In2003 the South African government designed and implemented the draft White paper on e-education, transforming teaching and learning through lCT, where the Minister of Education indicated that the supply of a telecommunication infrastructure for learning and teaching is gradually increasing, and many schools are expected to exploit the benefits of lCT to enhance the quality of teaching. The minister stated that the
introduction of lCT in South African schools should create new possibilities for learners and teachers, where teachers are expected to engage in new ways of information selection.
The study conducted by Govender (2006) about Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in teaching and learning set out to investigate whether educators in KwaZulu-Natal have the necessary attitudes and competencies needed to achieve the goals set in the specified White Paper, that is, whether they are competent enough and ready to use lCT in their educational environments. The findings of this study indicate that some educators found the use of technology in teaching and learning beneficial, and stated that "computers can enhance learner's learning". A small percentage of educators however, still found the integration of technology in teaching and learning to be a waste of time and said "school will be a better place without computers". It is because of the educators' attitudes that lCT integration in South African schools has not yet been effective. Govender (2006, p. 137) specifies that "lack of educators' involvement in technology has been caused by lack of suitable training". In conclusion, he asserts that
"pedagogical beliefs and practices are more difficult to change and many educators do not want to change them" (p.151).
Govender (2006) specifies that where educators are eager to integrate lCT into their teaching, they are restricted by the lack of the necessary skills and, as a result, continue using their traditional strategies. Innovations in South Africa affect Lesotho positively or negatively, and this is true of the integration of lCT. Kalanda and De Viliers (2008), state that South African teachers' confidence and skills levels are higher than those of the Lesotho teachers. They also argue that South African schools have accepted infrastructures with ongoing maintenance programs for hardware and software, all of which are managed by an external service provider. The other factor that they focus on is that Lesotho and South African teachers ought to attend workshops and computer fairs as a way of developing their skills and confidence in lCT integration. The previous studies such as Mammo (2006) regarding lCT integration in teaching propose that appropriate strategic planning should be done, whereby teachers get appropriate training and adequate resources which they can use to transform and integrate lCT into their teaching
strategies. All of these issues should be carefully considered before even thinking of integrating lCT into teaching.